27.11.2015 — 02.03.2016Mutated RealityGroup ShowFrancis Bacon
Chuck Close
George Condo
Wim Delvoye
Carroll Dunham
Kaws
Mike Kelley
Tony Matelli
Malcolm Morley
Peter Saul

“I think that man now realizes that he is an accident. That he has to play out the game without reason. I think that, even when Velasquez was painting, even when Rembrandt was painting, they were still, whatever their attitude to life, conditioned by certain types of religious possibilities, which man now, you could say, has had completely cancelled out for him.”
– Francis Bacon

Bacon’s “Two Men Working In A Field” (1971) is an opening exhibit of the ‘Mutated Reality’ showcase. Created in the latter half of the 20th century, it directly addresses the revolutionary transformation in contemporary art. Grounded in the esteemed traditions of French and British art, this artwork introduces a fresh perspective by innovatively altering angles and shifting emphases. It deliberately discards any traces of classical statuary that could confine its subject. The new art, with a burst of self-expression, is moving away from conservative patterns in search of new forms, rhythms, and audiences.

Following the footsteps of surrealists Breton, Dali, and Ernst, the artists explore the theme of breaking down the objects into smaller pieces and reconstructing them not solely anatomically but rather driven by the force of desire. This approach often appears modern-primitive, like to Carroll Dunham’s work ‘Dead Space (Wall), 2005’, or in Peter Saul’s ‘Here Comes the Garbage, 2012’, whoe’s art challenges conventional perceptions of imagenary.

The radical fascination with contemporary transformation is vividly evident in George Condo’s thought-provoking painting, ‘Spiderwoman, 2002’. The artwork skillfully combines the grace and elegance of classical nude portraits with a self-sufficient female sexuality, all while incorporating elements reminiscent of Bosch’s nightmarish imagery. This captivating tendencie is also reflected in Chuck Close’s masterful portrait ‘Shirley, 2007’. In his work Close employs insistent decorative pixilation, transforming the human form into a disjointed mosaic reminiscent of Picasso’s fractured faces, still compelling portrayal of the subject.

The injured figures depicted in Tony Matelli’s sculpture ‘Fucked Couple, 2005–2007’ bear a resemblance to accident victims, yet they symbolize a perpetual progression rooted in traditional values, defying the random cataclysms of a constantly changing world. Wim Delvoye, on the other hand, takes the motif of visual mutation to an even more extreme level with his sculpture ‘Bidjar, 2011’, where a pig is adorned with carpet ornaments akin to tattoos on a modern citizen. By blending these disparate decorative elements, the artist exaggerates the absurdity inherent in the fusion of cultural values within mass culture.

Continuing the exploration of mass culture is KAWS, whose art serves as a commentary on the commodification and transformation of popular imagery in contemporary society. His famous paintings feature cartoon characters, that, similar to Warhol’s ‘Campbell’s Soup Cans’, are transformed into iconic images representative of today’s pop culture.

Mike Kelley, the legendary Californian artist, delves into this theme with his series ‘Kandor’, named after the home planet of Superman. Through this work, he explores mass culture’s fixation on fundamentally impossible scenarios of total justice and absolute strength and nobility.

The artists in ‘Mutated reality’ combine a tender nostalgia for the past with an unwavering embrace of the present, open to radical change and even self-destruction. Their remarkable ability lies in capturing, in various ways, the essence of evident metamorphoses that have unfolded in art over the past half-century.

27.11.2015 — 02.03.2016Mutated RealityGroup ShowFrancis Bacon
Chuck Close
George Condo
Wim Delvoye
Carroll Dunham
Kaws
Mike Kelley
Tony Matelli
Malcolm Morley
Peter Saul